MTA Bus Route Changes
$1.78, $1.85, $2…..
It has been too long since people have seen these numbers on gas station signs. Now it is more common to see gas at four dollars a gallon! Due to these extreme increases in prices over the past years, MTA board of directors has held several meetings and public hearings in May to discuss how to continue to provide bus and AccessRide transportation for Nashville citizens. The solution for MTA is to increase fares for riders and eliminate less used routes to avoid more severe cuts in transportation service. As of July 1st , bus fares have increased by twenty-five cents and AccessRide fares are fifty cents. Also, all Night Owl Service will be discontinued, but no reductions in service for people with disabilities.
Effective July 6th are new adjustments for 2- Belmont, 8- 8TH Avenue South, 6- Lebanon Rd, 14- Whites Creek, 17- 12TH Avenue South, 22- Bordeaux, 24X- Bellevue Express, 26- Gallatin Road, 28- Meridian, 35X-Rivergate Express, 44- MTA Shuttle routes, and 93- Music City Star West End Shuttle. The new adjustments for most routes have to do with arrival and departure times on school days only as well as changes for wider coverage by each route. Changes were made to these routes to compensate for the seven eliminated routes which include 13 Sylvan Park, 31X Harpeth Valley Express. 1 Vine Hill, 45X Oak Hill Express, 16 Madison/Old Hickory, 30 McFerrin, 37X Tusculum/McMurray Express, as well as reduction of a portion of 8TH Avenue South which were the lowest performing routes.
Flyers describing the specifics of the route changes were distributed at the Information Booth on the Downtown Transit Mall on Deadrick, the MTA Customer Care Office on Nestor St., the library on Church St., City Hall and other Nashville locations. New schedule changes are also posted at www.nashvillemta.com. All questions concerning this information can be answered by contacting MTA Customer Care at (615) 562-5950 between 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays.
